#and they don’t even know it’s true ough alright)

[luminouslotuses]

baghs mentioned the federation while she was speaking in french and cellbit freaked out, saying “whAT did you say about the federation?? ARE YOU AN INSIDER???”

[good-beanswrites]

Just going to drop another idea in the hat. How does Mahiru feel about all that's going on with Fuuta in OoA? (Dunno if she would have visited him alone or with Yuno or Amane. Up to you.)

(Sorry for the mini drabble dump, I hope you enjoy 😅 Thank you for all the reminder asks!! I appreciated it since it took a million years to get to, and sure enough it was super fun to play around with all these ideas >:3)

Ough, on the surface she'd look exactly the same, but I feel like she would have a lot going on. She pities him. She pities herself because of him. She's glad she isn't him. She's jealous of him and Amane. She's toeing the line between her a bad first impression of him and finally seeing his human side. This takes place with enough time after the attacks for the dust to settle, but early enough where everyone's still adjusting.

“Fuuta~ Big sis Mahiru came to check on you! How are you feeling?”

For the entire first trial, Mahiru had constantly given Fuuta advice on his volume and outbursts. She’d scolded him for shouting, for bickering, for butting into conversation that weren’t his business. She’d spent so much time wishing he would just be more quiet. 

Now that her wish had finally come true, she would do anything to take it back.

“Mmn.”

The old Fuuta would have launched into detail about how he was feeling – about Milgram’s treatment being unjust and how the other prisoners were annoying him. Now that he was slumped in bed, bandages practically holding him together, all he could muster up was a half-shrug. His eyes had lost their usual shine, hardly looking focused at all. 

“If you need some medication, Shidou says he has more ready.”

Fuuta nodded. Mahiru knew what question was coming. It was the same every day.

“Did he offer it to Amane first? How is she?”

“She’s still coming around to it. She’s doing alright. I know you think she’s putting up an act when she visits, but honestly, she tells you more than any of us! I didn’t even know she could talk that much!” With her heart already heavy, it was easy to let the pang of jealousy slip into her mind. She was happy the two of them found each other, but Amane was opening up to him far more than her. Mahiru had done everything she could for her – what did Fuuta have that she was missing?

“Hey, look! I brought you some games. Everyone is requesting more supplies, and Shidou is still working on getting that wheelchair for you. I thought that this is just as important, yeah? I found some games that other prisoners didn’t mind lending. See ~ these cards are from Kazui, and Yuno left her cat’s cradle string, and I think Haruka even left a board game that he liked. I even wrote out the instructions to some word games, since those are my favorites.” 

“Eh, I don’t need ‘em.”

She refused to let herself deflate. Instead the smile stayed painted on her face. “I’ll just leave them here, then, if you ever get bored. I’m always up for playing something, but a lot of the games can be done by yourself, too!”

At that, he laughed. It was a terrible, bitter sound. It revealed how wheezy his lungs were from his injuries. 

“Oh yeah?” He said through a panting breath. “How am I supposed to play cat’s cradle by myself?” He shifted his left arm, bound up in a sling. “Am I supposed to balance the board games on the bed? With all the fucking pieces falling off?”

Mahiru’s smile wavered. “I only meant –”

“I can’t use my hands.” His voice was defeated. “Can’t get up. My head is killing me. Maybe literally. How am I supposed to play any of these? I know you were just being nice… but don’t bother.”

“I am going to bother.”

“Why…?” He let his eyes slip shut. “It’s not like anyone gave a shit about me before. They only care now because I’m dying. Everyone who knew me before… and even everyone here… they all treated me like crap until I got hurt. Now they’re all falling over themselves for me. It’s pathetic.”

It was a phrase he’d used often enough before, but Mahiru was struck with how differently he spoke it, his voice wavering.

The words “that’s not true” hung on her tongue. But it was, wasn’t it? Her stomach twisted in shame. It was horrible. That couldn’t be it – she must have a good reason to care now. After a second of scrambling, it hit her.

“Well! The thing is… what Kazui was saying about Kotoko’s plan… If I hadn’t been with Yuno… It should have been me, Fuuta. And I need to make it up to you.” She shook her head. Another man’s face flashed in her memory. “It should have been me…”

“Yeah, it should have been.”

The two were silent. She studied his face, but he looked firmly away. 

Internally she begged herself to leave it there. To learn her own lesson and be quiet. To bid Fuuta well and walk away from the person who was going to say things that would break her heart. But, as every other time in her life, Mahiru couldn’t control herself.

“I’m so, so sorry.” She clasped her hands together as she bowed. “I feel awful about it. Everytime I see you and Amane… I had been so selfish, going to Yuno to cheer myself up, instead of looking out for the two of you. If I could go back and change everything, I would in a heartbeat. I’m sorry. I know that you must hate me. I hate myself. I’m sorry.”

She thought offering her emotions would help. She thought it would be good for him to hear, since he was asking for a reason and she had such a good one. She gasped, seeing tears slip down Fuuta’s miserable expression. 

“What –”

“That’s exactly what I was talking about.” She would have preferred his yelling to this quiet resignation. “You’re not here because you care about me. You’re here because you’re feeling sorry for yourself. I don’t need your pity. Just leave.”

“No, it’s not like that! I wish it hadn’t been you that got hurt and –”

“Yeah I wish it wasn’t me, too.” He finally looked at her. “But I don’t wish it was you. That’s not how this works. Be grateful you made it out, and don’t come wallowing in self-pity to me. From now on, only come in here if you actually want to. Not to boost your own ego.”

Mahiru stood with her mouth agape. She tried to muster up something to say, finally finding it was easier to just stay silent. She turned to the door.

Why, oh why couldn’t she do it right?

[eldritch-elrics]

alright i just finished good omens season 2 and WOW that was a LOT. against my better judgement (i’m not in the fandom but it seems like the people there can be pretty vicious?) i am going to share my thoughts

tldr: i thought most of it was pretty poorly-plotted/paced but still alright. LOVED the ending.

knowing that this season wasn’t based on any previous source material makes a lot of sense. in general the pacing felt off, the flashbacks felt overly padded (the shortness & sweetness of the flashbacks in the first season made them so good!), and overall the plot was way less tight. good ideas in there but it just seemed like it needed another draft?

the overall tone was also a bit wackier/sillier than i would have liked but eh. whatever

i actually really liked that nina & maggie didn’t get together! any romance between them would have felt forced imo, and it was nice that they set boundaries and remained friends

controversially, i am also very happy that crowley & aziraphale didn’t really “get together” either. i’d known about the kiss beforehand, and was worried the show was gonna rush a conventional romance plotline when i just don’t think that fits them. their relationship can’t really be mapped cleanly onto what we think of as human romance!

that final scene between them just made everything fall into place for me. throughout the season, in the flashbacks, we’ve seen aziraphale constantly fall back on his image of heaven as “good” (even as crowley makes him question morality), really wishing that there could be a simple, heavenly answer to things that ignores real-life human dynamics and systems of oppression. even though i think some of his naivete in this season was overplayed (see: my point about the season needing a second draft), the character beat felt extremely true to me

i’m hoping we see him in more of a villainous role next season. that would be so fun. aren’t you tired of being nice aziraphale...

plus ough his idea of “i can change the system from the inside”... so excited to see that explored

plus! crowley!!! oh my god. i wasn’t really excited about the possibility of them having a nice, romantic kiss, so i was VERY happy to see them get gay in the worst way possible. it’s sooooo much more interesting

i also like that in the way they talk about their relationship, they can’t admit that they love each other? 100% so real. living for this repression. (and aziraphale being seemingly unwilling to admit to himself that he liked kissing crowley...)

finally: gabriel & beelzebub came out of absolutely nowhere but i’m into it

[thekinarchives]

very late but Yes to the song question. one of my recently relevant songs was vienna by billy joel, which i connect a lot to kinning giorno from jjba. it’s about having these huge dreams and ambitions for yourself and holding on to them but at the same time pacing yourself and not letting by yourself think that just because you want it doesn’t mean it’ll happen. the lines “You've got your passion / You've got your pride / But don't you know / That only fools are satisfied? / Dream on / But don't imagine they'll all come true” and “Slow down, you crazy child / And take the phone off the hook / And disappear for a while / It’s alright, you can afford / To lose a day or two” are both very hard hitters but the song is just like Ough. the killing.

another song very deeply connected to kin for me is a little death by the neighbourhood. it’s like The vampirekin song for me. it’s just about sex but vampires are often linked to sex and sexuality anyway, and it’s the way it’s delivered because a lot of the song is describing a scene and if you don’t pay attention it sounds beautiful and almost hypnotic but the scene being described is pretty disgusting and unpleasant. for this one it’s definitely the lines “She sought death on a queen-sized bed / And he had said "darling, your looks can kill so now you’re dead"” and “I want you to touch me there / Make me feel like I am breathing / Feel like I am human / Again”. it’s the ‘something unholy and socially rejected and honestly a little gross veiled by this hypnotic rhythm and smooth vocal that kind of disguised what it even was in the first place’ and the ‘connection of death and love/sex and the dramatism and the disconnect from humanity’ of it all that truly does it in for me. Bless - 🩸

‎

[the-acid-pear]

Tumblr refuses to let me reblog the post again, so this is the second part of me reading the second btg book! ☺️

Still Chapter 211

Son on son violence

Chapter 212

This dude pretty cute ngl

Shit, rip

AAWW HIGH 5 🥺🥺

It's almost like they are a regular father and son 😭🥺💔

Chapter 213

Look how thigh those shirts are hehehoho 🥴

OYXITSITDITDLTD

Ooooh there goes my man Jyaku ready to kick some ASS

🥺😭💞

Baki really just forgot his mom eh, thought you were getting stronger for HER smh

Oh Jyaku vs Retsu? Nvm Jyaku i can only hope Retsu is nice w you

I like how most are like, confused over who to cheer for lmao

I know he won't make it but I'm cheering for Jyaku btw i like him more <33

Chapter 214

Love that title, can't believe Jyaku is gonna ask Retsu out 😍 /j

He really is just honest Igari

I love that he apologizes

Chapter 215

OJFOYDITDISTOTDG

HIS FACEEE THIS FUCKING CLOWN 😭😭😭

THIS IS JUST SO FUCKING FUNNY

Chapter 216

Burgir

GHZJDUDDRHD THEY ARE SOOO MAD

That smile so cute...

Jyaku is a king

Love it when Retsu throws that pose, though y'all know why

HDGSSGSGF you are coming to Japan wether you like it or not 🔫

Chapter 217

Finally Jyaku got serious too

WITH HIS TOES 😭

King is just obsessed i luv him

HEHE HAIRY LEGS

It does seem like Jyaku is trynna confess his love jfnshdshdf

Chapter 218

I remember i almost laugh cry with my dad when we saw this

His damn beard... 💔

THE HAND OF THE TRAITOR

He has a good point

They be calling my man Jyaku a masochist noooo yfjdhdgs

Chapter 219

Okay seems kinda into it <:/

Old man? He doesn't look that old Baki :/

That was so smart 🥺

Chapter 220

Retsu calm down please you are gonna break his back

Oh my god Retsu, oh my god.

He did apologize at least

Chapter 221

Damn dude be a little more gentle with him

Oh, get was picking him up, okay

FR FR

🥺🥺🥺

FARHDHDYFTH THE KINGGG

Chapter 222

I love how everyone completed him (except Yujiro but not surprising), these warriors are such a good team

I want to eat an apple too now

That was fast

I got distracted watching a vsauce react video sorry

Okay I'm glad a comment actually mentioned Sik

Chapter 223

Had to take a uh idk 5 hour break bc lights went out :/

Feet be fuming lmao

Ohhh that's a cool analysis

Chapter 224

What a good punch

That "please",,,

Poor Li man, having to see his brother DIE /j

No, Viêt Long, i have not been hit by a truck before.

Chapter 225

It's so funny how Jyaku lost bc he fought a main charac and only those win

Sad day for the Chinese citizens

Mf got tits in his back

This is gonna be so goodddd

Chapter 226

Look at the size of his tits, the slut

INSTAGRAM INFLUENCER POSE WOOO

These two are cool fighters

Chapter 227

Old man showing skin

His smile is so fucked up lmao

Chapter 228

Baki what the FUCK are you wearing?

I just remembered when Hana did a flip, that was so good

Retsu babey 🥺

I love how confused Yujiro looks

Chapter 229

Hey, i recognize that name...

Kaku just too op

Yujiro you are gonna pop your testicles if you do that with your leg

Chapter 230

God that's such a good threat

Love Retsu's confusion

Damn bitch you saying we gotta keep up w this whore cuz you were too slow? Ffs Kaku 😢

I love when you can tell someone is still hanging around just quietly by seeing their response in a comment

Chapter 231

God this just feels so good, to see Yujiro actually scared 😍

YOOO THAT'S POG

Chapter 232

I wanna finish this book and start the next one grrr

This fight is so satisfying

That last bit is so cringe but whatever that's okay

Fight so controversial comments were deactivated

Chapter 233

Itagaki hincha de boquita el más grande? 😳 /j

Okay yeah it IS just rude

Hohoooo shit getting nice

Chapter 234

This asshole lmao

Yuji-chan really went "how many times do i have to teach you this lesson, old man?!"

Mfs be doing Jojo references in the comments lol

Chapter 235

GTFO WITH THAT LOGIC RETSU IM SORRY CHINA IS LOSING BUT GET LOSTTTT AJSGAJGS

Ffs Kaku you are doomed 😢💔

Yujiro so strong my mouse disconnected

Chapter 236

Abs in his back...

Crying and shaking that is NOT true

DON'T FEED HIS EGO, KAKU

LIONS CAN BE KILLED BY TIGERS TOO!!!!

I thought Yujiro was bleeding for a second there smh

Chapter 237

OKAY YEAH IT IS HIS BLOOD ITS COMING OUT OF HIS NOSE ITS NOT MUCH BUT HE BLED

THE HEAD APPLAUSE

HE'S SO UPSET LMAOOO

Yujiro surprised is good shit

GSJDUFTHSTD

KAKU YOU LEGEND LMAO

Kaku has boyboss energy

Chapter 239

This cover almost gives me a stroke

I love how they all just shat their pants

These minor Chinese characters were so good tbh, sadly i don't think they will ever return

Don't worry Retsu, we the viewers have seen a man revive before

King i don't think any of us understands

It really is

CAN MEN IN THIS FRANCHISE JUST OPEN BOTTLES REGULARLY?!

Oh my god i though Yujiro was sitting on the air for a second i almost cry 😭

Coca cola must have paid Itagaki /j

Chapter 240

Oh so the Kaioh part takes the name, not the surname

...is Yujiro wearing a floral shirt? 😭

I LOVE THAT ENDING SO MUCH 🥺😭

Jyaku has his eyes fixated on Retsu eh, proud of having him come to Japan lmao

Chapter 241

HORRIBLE fit Baki

CHILDHOOD SAGA PART 2? 😰

Jk though i do miss Yuri 🥺

Oh hey Jr

You gonna fuck his girl, bro?

Chapter 242

So straight forward lmao

I'm starting to appreciate Baki's feminist ass every day even more

AAAA GRANDPAAA 🥺🥺💞

This page didn't allow me to call two mfs virgins smh, 1984

Chapter 243

Grandpa they shrunk you

Chapter 244

Kings idc about this

Okay true but also he's 70 dude pls... Though idk if this guy will go thru worse than Jack lmao

Such a nice lad

Chapter 245

Baki being such a feminist icon is so meaningful considering how his parents were,,,

MY MAN IS BACKKK AND AS DAPPER AS EVER

Doppo he's called Ali Jr how are you surprised?

OH MY GOD I JUST REALIZED HIS EYE PATCH HAS A PATTERN THAT'S SO COOL 🥺🥺😢💞

These men love throwing their glasses eh

Chapter 246

If only Igari and Toba had done this lol

OKAY THATS COOL I LIKE THAT

Me lo re devaluaron a mí pelado eh

HEHE OOOOH NICE 😳

Scenes that give me a boner

CHU...

Such a good callback...

Chapter 247

My man got serious, sweet

Doppo has been trying out his luck a bit too much like he's been betting with his life an uncomfortable lot like king do you need to talk? Are you okay? First asking Gouki to kill him now this like, is everything alright Doppo?

YEAH A BIT FUCKED UP TO THINK ABOUT

I love that blocking technique

OSHWOWHIWWH "gay ass Orochi, out of option so he touching dick" SHUT UPPP 😭😭💀

I really wish he got kicked in the nuts again see if he's still using his technique

Chapter 248

Poor guys thought he was bout to get murdered

A kiss? 😏 /j

When i saw this in the anime i actually thought Orochi was going to die, i was gonna get sooo angry

Chapter 249

What a way to cockblock em

Feminist icon

Jack is that the only sweater you own?

Chapter 250

I have been thinking of that scene of him eating the whole steak a lot

Jr like 🥺

Imagine being stupid enough to tease Jack like, i get he defeated two masters but they are NOTHING compared to this monster

Imagine jack just smoked some weed right there lmao

Jack needs to bite people more

Chapter 251

My shitty ass son gave me parkinson's

Jack that's not how human anatomy works what the fuck did Kureha do to your body spine?

Chapter 252

DAMN JR WHAT A FAT ASS

Looked like Jack was going for a handful

Those techniques must fuck your neck up so bad

Okay Jack you are going a bit far now don't cha think?

Chapter 253

You are tempting your luck sunny boy

Look at that, you pissed him off!

You cannot just know out jack hanma bro

HHH

This was so stupid yet, unironically, iconic

Chapter 254

Bruh i thought it said Pog 😭, ain't manslaughter poggers Mr Hanma?

OKAY THANKS JACK

Such a simp he downed that coffee cup

Grandpa put here cockblocking

Chapter 255

"no he didn't >:/"

These two masters are a pair of fucking idiots like understand this i love my grandpa and i love my man but mfs have to take the L for this one time sksgwjgshgw

Gouki bro my senses gonna shut down if you put your sucks against the dirt again OUGH sensory hell 😭

FOR FUCKING REAL JR

STOP ENABLING THE OLD MAN!! WKSGKSGSJSHDD for once I'm on Viêt's side 😭

Chapter 256

Hoho Gouki out here getting a panty shot 😳

Grandpa i love you but this was unnecessary

Chapter 257

Kozue should wear a Korn tshirt

GET HIS ASS KOZUE

OWHWLWGISGSJWG 😭😭 MF JUST STANDING THERE LIKE A FREAK I LOVE HIM BUT I HATE HIM SM!!!

Love how consistently round his hands are, king got no knuckles

HEY DONT CALL MY MAN A FREAK KOZUE

King hasn't changed his clothes ever since i see

His shoes look so nice...

OKAY OKAY HE HAS A POINT AT LEAST, HE AT LEAST ACCEPTED HE LOST BUT HE'S STILL BUTTHURT FROM IT SKSGAJGS BUT HE ADMITS IT!!

Doppo i love you but shut UPPP you lost get over it!! You are just going for the rematch bc you have the higher ground against a injured guy!!! Like Shibukawa didn't have time but you were already getting serious!! Hhhgrrrrrr doppo i love you but I'm going to bark

Hehe nvm he still hella fine... keep talking king 🥴

This was so mean of him sjsgwjwg

Chapter 258

Low-key starting to believe these two mfs plotted against Jr sjshsj

THAT FACE AKSGWJGS just 😐

If i didn't know you would get your ass handed in a plate i would be a lil mad he's planning on being that savage

He has been thru worse, sunny boy

Niceee

Tbh. I don't care anymore. Doppo is in the wrong, but GOD I'm a simp and i love seeing him fight 😍😍🥴

Yeah a comment mentioned it, we all were on Jr side until he threatened to kill Doppo Orochi like, even if not everyone here is as horny as me we all like an og fella

I also love how the prisoners really changed them all, the scars (both physical and mental) those 5 left will be remembered lol

[themuzzleofnemesis]

3–Memory of the Four Seasons; Scene 6

The Muzzle of Nemesis, pages 108-117

Shakuson and I had officially started dating.

It was Shakuson who had proposed we go steady. Under the cherry blossom tree, whose leaves had all scattered.

I had no reason to refuse.

Though truthfully I should have.

Everything between us was too different.

He was so smart, and I was so stupid.

He was so kind, and I was so cold.

He was a police officer--and I was a killer.

Such a pair couldn't be together.

But--

Even so--

I couldn't lie to my own feelings anymore.

The moment he had embraced me.

The moment he said, "Let's always be together".

I had been overcome with emotion.

And I could not go against it.

.

Should I be honest, and tell Shakuson everything?

My real name.

That I had once sunk the S.S. Titanis.

That I was an assassin.

…No matter how I wanted to, I couldn't.

If I told him, everything would end.

.

--I had completed another “job” tonight.

When I returned to the room, the red-coated “Postman” was waiting for me as always.

“…Yeah, here.”

I handed over the gun, done using it.

He wordlessly took it back, and then moved to leave the room.

“—Wait a second!”

Of course Postman didn’t reply when I called him to stop, but he did come to a halt and turned to me.

“…You’re a member of this organization—of Pere Noel too, right? Do you have no doubts about your work?  Or do you at least harbor some grievances, of any kind?”

“…”

“…”

“…”

“…Humph. You never speak with me, and you never answer any of my questions—just as Bruno said. Well, that’s fine. You don’t really need to speak, just please pass along my request.”

Postman nodded.

“—Lately the quality of my guns have been poor. Thanks to that I wound up with several misfires tonight. The cleanup afterward is important, so make sure to send me a better gun next time.”

He nodded once more, and then left.

…I wondered how long this was going to go on for.

There was the list I had been given at the beginning. Among the five written there, I had already stolen the lives of four of them.

But that didn’t mean they would release me once I had killed the one remaining.

I was positive they would have me do the same thing again somewhere else.

I had thought about running away, many times. But the organization—or rather, the Dark Star Bureau that stood behind it, had immense power. On top of having their own private police force, PN, I had heard that they were currently allied with the Freezis Conglomerate.

An even worse problem was the fact that they had far more frightening assassins than me at their disposal.

“Number 5”, Jorm Zusco, who had murdered the members of Zeus.

And—“Number 1”, Shiro Netsuma, the expert marksman who had taught me how to use a gun.

I had once been chased by Shiro in the forest. Even back then I had been able to tell that I couldn’t win in a fair fight against her, but now I much better understood her true ability. I couldn’t hope to match her skill.

Shiro was a kind person, but she also had sworn a fierce vow of loyalty to Bruno. I was certain there was no way she would help me if it meant going against him.

I didn’t want to die.

Obviously everyone is afraid of death.

So—I had to keep going.

I pulled out the list of assassination targets I had hidden in my closet.

It was written in a cipher, so even if someone were to find it they wouldn’t be able to understand the contents.

The only one left is…

Nyoze Octo. Former soldier.

He was arrested for murdering a prostitute and sentenced to fifteen years of imprisonment by the Dark Star Bureau, but he’d escaped from prison.

They’d established that he’d smuggled himself into the Republic of Lucifenia, but hadn’t been able to ascertain his movements after that point—

Unlike my other targets up until now, he was a full-fledged criminal. …Though I wasn’t in any position to talk.

Since he was a fugitive, PN’s “public” forces and the World Police must have already been hunting him down. So then, why go to the trouble of having him assassinated?

--The long and short of it was that this Nyoze must have had some information that would be inconvenient to “Master”.

Since my target was the sort who would murder prostitutes, I felt a bit less guilty about it.

Only, considering he had been left for last, the organization probably hadn’t managed to pin down his location just yet.

They would probably find him someday, but I prayed for that day to come as slow as possible.

I could continue my life here until Nyoze’s assassination was complete.

With Shakuson by my side.

“…I think he had a day off from work today.”

I was overwhelmed with the desire to see his face.

After I had showered and changed, I went to Shakuon’s room.

I knocked, but there was no reply.

“Has he gone out?”

He’d given me a spare key. So I used it to let myself in.

I figured I would wait inside until he came home.

“…”

As always, the place was scrupulously clean.

The fact that it appeared cluttered even so was probably because he had too many things.

“Like all those difficult-looking books on his bookshelf.”

Frankly, even reading the titles of the books was enough for me.

“I don’t care much for books on education or politics…Doesn’t he have any novels?”

Eventually I found some books like that.

They had the title of the “Freezis Fairytale Collection”. Ten volumes.

I figured I could read fairytales, and so took out the first volume and opened it.

“Ough…There’s a lot more words than I thought. …Hm? What’s this?”

I noticed that something had been wedged into the book. I thought maybe it was a bookmark, but when I opened the page I saw it wasn’t. It was a letter.

“Is this…”

Maybe it was a love letter from a past girlfriend?

It feels awkward to snoop…but I have a right to see it! …Probably.

And thus convincing myself, I boldly made to look over the letter’s contents.

--Written at the top was the sentence, “To my dear older brother”.

Whaat, it’s a letter from his younger brother. …I didn’t know he had a younger brother.

And then I decided to read on.

.

To my dear older brother,

.

Have you gotten used to life in the Lucifenian Republic? I’ve heard it’s much warmer than here in Holy Levianta. I’m a bit jealous.

I’m still coming and going in Levianta and Elphegort, as always. Being a member of a political party isn’t easy, but even so I think it’s better than when I was in the military. I don’t need to stand on the front lines with a gun in my hand, after all.

--Just as we anticipated, the country of Asmodean has declared war on Lucifenia. We still don’t know how the other countries will react, but I expect Elphegort will wind up taking Asmodean’s side.

Thanks to the verdict that Gallerian Marlon passed down, the whole world is being caught up in a vortex of war. I wonder what the bastard thinks of that? Maybe he doesn’t think anything of it. Gallerian can’t think about anything but the satisfaction of his own greed.

We have to give him punishment someday. This time it’s our turn to judge Gallerian. The man who sent you to prison, brother.

Our preparations have been proceeding steadily along. But we still lack a trump card. The distrust the public has for the Dark Star Bureau has been growing, but we need something to make it decisive.

Our time will come eventually. Just hold out until then. I’m sure there’s a chance the Dark Star Bureau will revoke the sentence Gallerian gave to you once we’ve thwarted him.

And more important, the sword. The family heirloom katana that he stole from us…We must get it back.

Are you alright, brother? Sometimes I feel like I’m going mad. I first learned this once we lost it, but—that cursed sword is like a narcotic. Surely we—no, our entire family line from our ancestry—have been taken over by something that dwells inside it. We need to get that sword again, and soon.

Are you doing well as a police officer? I thought it was pretty outrageous of you to borrow Shakuson’s name and position like that. But, well, I guess you could call that not seeing the forest for the trees.

As for the real Shakuson, he’s been working hard as a member of the Tasan party. Since you’re currently using his name, he’s going by the name of Ben. I gave him that, though he didn’t seem to like it that much. But then, what else could we do? It’s not like he can go by your name of “Nyoze”.

And then…about this “Nemesis” girl that you wrote to me about in your letter. I did some digging, and it’s just as you thought.

Keep a close eye on her. You might have a use for her. Maybe she could be the trump card we need to take down Gallerian.

Just make sure to take care with her. If she finds out your real identity, it’ll all be over.

And don’t forget that you’re on the run.

If the situation demands it, kill her.

Well then, I’ll write again.

.

-Gammon Octo

.

I slipped the letter in the book as it had been before and then put it back on the shelf.

Shortly thereafter, the door opened.

“Oh, you’re here.”

Shakuson had returned.

“Sorry. There was another killing. They called me out.”

“Right…That’s rough, considering you were off-duty.”

“Well, I got it wrapped up decently enough. Apparently we’ll be starting the full-scale investigation tomorrow.”

“I see…Well, I guess I’ll head home.”

“…? You didn’t come over to stay with me?”

“…You have an early morning, don’t you? I don’t want…to be any trouble. And…I’m not feeling well.”

“You do look a little peakish. Alright, take it easy then.”

“Yeah…Sorry.”

Then I left the room and went back down the stairs.

Once I returned to my room, I immediately collapsed onto the bed,

.

Several thoughts swirled through my mind.

But…I didn’t want to think about anything.

<<prev------directory------next>>

[achtung-attitude]

CHAPTER 37: Weezer - Part 2

Kilo struggles to his feet at the bottom of a hole that did not exist ten seconds ago. Toto watches him from the rim of the hole, smiling easily without any hint of malice. 

The enemy rubs his eyebrow with a spidery finger and explains, “Five years ago, yeah? There was an accident,” he says, as if sitting across from Kilo in a bar booth, “They was setting up some sort of overhead sound system or whatever, and they ended up droppin’ a couple tons of equipment from the ceiling. Made a hole in the floor. Right here, dig? The convention centre administrators were too cheap to fix it right, so they just covered the hole with plaster. Came back to bite ‘em in the ass though, cause eventually that hole opened up into a sinkhole that swallowed up six people!”  

Kilo glares up at him as he chuckles, continuing his lackadaisical monologue. “Moral of the story? It all comes back to you. No matter how deep you bury ‘em, every misfortune stacks up, until it blows up in yo’ face. My WEEZER… is just what ignites it. I told ya, you’d only get one chance to walk.”

By the time he’s finished, Kilo is back on his feet, not appearing the least bit intimidated. “I don’t give a shit,” he declares, then SATURN BARZ drives its taloned fingers into the wall of the pit. The Stand gouges a cleft of dry rock from the wall, and the wall begins to bubble and froth, turning into a thick, gravelly sludge. This effect extends upwards, reaching the rim of the pit. 

“Whuh--?” Toto says, as the ground he’s standing dissolves into a sheer mudslide, and his feet are caught up in the muck. He bolts upright, flailing his arms to keep his balance.

But while he focuses on this, Kilo ascends from the hole, having been raised up by SATURN BARZ. He grabs a fistful of Toto’s hoodie and pulls himself forward. Toto is pulled in the opposite direction, losing his balance and tumbling forward into his own pit trap. Kilo lands on the edge of the hole in a crouch at the same moment Toto hits the bottom, standing submerged up to his waist in liquid concrete. With a swift whirl of its hands, SATURN BARZ reverts the mudslide back into solid concrete, trapping his opponent in solid stone.

“Uhh--” Toto utters, not entirely sure what has just happened to him.

“Some nightmare!” Kilo taunts at him, “Damn. And here I was expecting a challenge outta you. What a joke!”

Before the Congregation assassin can say anything back, Kilo gets up and walks away, amidst a Convention floor in various stages of agony. Upwards of 300 people roll around groaning in pain, while others, unaffected, either run about or stand struck dumb, helpless among the sudden horror. 

“Jesus…” he mutters, rushing to attend to Moya. The cold sweat that formed on her flesh as a result of WEEZER’s touch has now developed into a corpse-like pallor that’s turned her bronze skin to a sickly gray. “What the hell’s happening to you?” he asks, kneeling to help her up.

“I-it’s Toto’s ability…” she answers after a brief coughing fit and spitting an absurd volume of green mucus. Her voice is scratchy, and her breath is short and shallow, but she takes his hand nonetheless, and drapes her over his shoulders.

Kilo places the back of his hand on her forehead, then pulls it back quickly. “You’re burning up! What ability could do this?!”

“It’s pneumonia…!” she asserts, “Ough, when I was 10, I caught pneumonia after staying out in the rain…! Abuela said not to stay out so long, but I didn’t listen… Agh, doesn’t matter!! Whatever it is, Toto was the one that caused this! I’ve never worked with him before, but… the ability must revive illnesses from your past to harm you in the present…!”

Kilo glances around the convention hall once more, then nods in agreement. “Sure. But what about the sinkhole?”

“Buildings can be damaged, too. And Hotel California demonstrated how a structure can have its own history and will.”

“Right. Alright…” he is quiet for a moment, then he carries her to a nearby column and sits her down against it. “Hang tight,” he says, starting back towards the pit, “I’m gonna finish that muthafucka off.”

“Wait!” Moya cries out, straining her voice. “You need to be cautious! I-if he touches you, then you’ll be caught in his ability too!” 

A grin spreads across Kilo’s lips. “Worst I ever got was a cold when I was 6! His ability might be hot shit if you had something bad like you did, but it’ll take more’n a couple sniffles to stop me! Not to mention, he’s enough of a scrub to get himself caught in his own trap! Asshole’s dead-meat already!” He says this as he reaches the rim of the pit, but finds thats Toto is no longer trapped in the concrete.

Right as he begins to search for him, Toto reveals himself, speaking from behind Kilo. “It’s rude to talk ‘bout people behind their backs,” he declares, brushing loose gravel off him, “But, I guess, I got nobody to blame but myself, yeah?”

Kilo and SATURN BARZ whirls around towards their enemy, the Stand forming a spear of solidified oxygen in its hand. It jabs the impromptu icicle at Toto’s throat, but he dodges to the side with a lazy grin on his face. WEEZER manifests in front of him, and reaches for SATURN BARZ with the same blinding speed it showed to WITCH MOUNTAIN. But Kilo is ready, as just before the mangled enemy Stand grabs a hold of his throat, the ice spear suddenly explodes into frigged shrapnel right in Toto’s face. 

The Congregation assassin winces as the icy shards pelt him over his body. “AHH!! Damn, that hurts!!” he yelps, and in that moment of distraction, SATURN BARZ lunges for him, claws aimed at his face. Toto gathers himself and sways back with footwork that would make Muhammad Ali proud, and WEEZER jerks a knuckle to the ground.

Kilo’s foot falls in the exact spot where WEEZER touched, and the ground beneath it gives way, opening into another hole, smaller than the first and shallower, only going halfway up his calf. He drops and lands flat-footed. He groans as pangs of pain run up his leg. 

“Guess two sinkholes was too good to be true,” Toto says before WEEZER lurches into a new attack. 

“Don’t let him touch you!” Moya shouts, watching all of this from her pillar. 

With a swift backhand swipe, SATURN BARZ bats WEEZER’s hands out of the way. Toto grunts as heavy ice begins to form on his Stand’s hand and the biting cold effect transfers over to himself. In the meantime, Kilo steps out of the pit trap and puts distance between him and his opponent. 

Toto raises an eyebrow at him. “What was it you said? ‘Take more’n a couple sniffles to stop me’. If you ain’t scared of what my WEEZER can do, how come you standing so far away?” 

“I’m not scared. But I’m not stupid either and I know you Congregation pricks are full of dirty tricks.”

The Congregation assassin laughs. “Heheheh… That’s pretty smart… Or it would be, if touching you was the only way WEEZER could hurt you.”

WEEZER’s hand flex suddenly, its fingers spreading and shattering the frost forming on its hand. It then launches its entire body in Kilo’s direction with a piercing screech. “BIIISHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH…”

“Shi--!!” Kilo says, raising SATURN BARZ to guard, but to his surprise, WEEZER sails right over his head and slams its palm into the wide window behind him. Then the glass begins to shudder and vibrate violently, before WEEZER peels away from it, and the window explodes inwards, showering Kilo with a hail of glass. 

“AAGH!” he yells, and SATURN BARZ tries to shield its user from the oncoming barrage of glass, but is unable to get them all, as thick shards pierce Kilo in his arm, ribs and thigh.

“That one was an accident too,” Toto calls, “Tropical storm hit Anaheim about ten years ago, tore up a tree that broke a window. Nobody got hurt that time, though!” 

Kilo winces as SATURN BARZ dissolves the glass into liquid and his wounds close up into red marks. “Shit!” he thinks, “It’s like his Stand can do anything he wants it to! Even if I don’t let him touch me, if I keep letting him make all the moves, I’m a dead man! There’s gotta be something I can use!!”

He searches with his eyes frantically around the convention hall, hunting for something to gain an advantage over this seemingly impossible enemy. Toto seems perfectly content to simply watch him, hands in his pockets, without a care in the world. Kilo grinds his teeth and scowls at him.

“Hey, come ooon, what’s that look for? I already gave you a chance, and you didn’t take it. Don’t blame me for your mistakes~…”

Kilo answers with a flick of the wrist from SATURN BARZ, firing shards of solidified water vapor at his opponent. The assassin dodges, then dodges the next batch, and keeps up with Kilo when he starts running down the hall, leaping over afflicted guests and tearing through convention booths.

SATURN BARZ keeps up the attack the whole time, flinging at Toto with frozen projectiles. WEEZER blocks them all with its unmitigated speed, its jaw hanging loose from its skull swinging to and fro with every staccato motion. 

Kilo vaults onto a table and SATURN BARZ takes its Olympian stance, forming a great ice javelin in its palm and hurling it at its enemy. It is the same kind as before, set with opposing impulses within its structure so it may explode into a smokescreen, even if WEEZER deflects it. But WEEZER does not deflect it.

Instead, it jerks its right foot underneath a convention guest with angry red spots growing on his face. The unfortunate guest’s body lifts off the ground and WEEZER catches him by the back of his neck, holding him in front of its master. The guest’s eyes clear up for long enough to see the ice spear fly at him before it impales him through his shoulder. He loses consciousness when the spear explodes, turning his wound into a bloody cavity you could see through. Toto is left completely unscathed.

“What… What the fuck did you do?!” Kilo shouts, staring in shock and disgust.

“What did I do? I… protected myself from your attack. What’s it look like?” WEEZER grips its human shield by the neck then tosses it at Kilo, who dives from the table to catch him. When he does, the diseased Stand appears and lunges for him.

“First he uses this guy as a shield, now as a distraction!? This bastard…!!” Kilo thinks. Before WEEZER can lay its mottled hands on him, SATURN BARZ strikes out with a kick to its gut that knocks the wind out of Toto. Kilo then rolls out of its range, clutching the guest’s body.

“You son of a bitch…!” he snarls while SATURN BARZ closes the unconscious guest’s wound, “What’s the matter with you!?! How can you involve innocent people like this?!!”

Toto, as ever, treats his words like a joke, laughing softly. “Haha… It’s just bad luck. It ain’t my fault, and it ain’t yours. He just happened to be here at the wrong time, and happened to get involved in our little playdate. If you take the time to worry about every little ant you step on, you’d never take another step.”

“You sick fuck…”

“What’re you getting so upset for? Human lives ain’t that big a deal,” the Congregation assassin fixes his posture, recovering from SATURN BARZ strike, “All humans are just vessels for Fate to enact its will. Even Stand users like us. Stands are reflections of the soul, but that doesn’t mean that having one is anything special. They got nothing to do with good or evil, or justice. All it means is that Fate chose us to have a little bit more impact in its design. Fate chose you, just like it chose me. You and I were always going to fight here today, and that guy, and these people, were always going to get caught in the middle. No matter how much you fight it, we both ultimately serve the same power.”

“Again…” Kilo murmurs, rising. The guest’s wound has closed over completely, forming a pale, circular scar in his shoulder. “I’m so sick of hearing you people talk out of your ass at me. All this shit about God and fate and higher beings…” SATURN BARZ takes a bow-legged stance and raises its hands over its head as its master continues “All that I could take, but worse! You all keep tryin’ to tell me that I’m the same as you. I don’t want to be mentioned in the breath as you fucking losers!!!”

SATURN BARZ claps its hand together and steam explodes out from between them. This builds into a thick fog that covers everything in a damp smokescreen.

“Really?” Toto says, unimpressed. He saunters through the smokescreen, his head bobbing up and down as he steps on bodies without a care.

[raviothebunny]

so i just beat age of calamity and wanted to gather my thoughts in a post, feel free to ignore

spoilers of course, so please be aware~

so despite what other people are saying, i really enjoyed the game! i don’t think it’s as good as botw of course, but it was very fun and enjoyable!

i admit i was, and still am a bit, disappointed that it wasn’t a prequel like they told us it would be. in fact in the beginning i was really against them making it an AU, but after finishing it i didn’t really mind it! it’s a fun au, and they stayed true to the original vibes of BOTW. and part of me is glad i didn’t have to watch the champions die bc i honestly would be so emotional

i know alot of people are also upset because it makes the whole loz timeline even crazier, but personally i’ve never really cared about the timeline. it’s not really important, imo, it very rarely ever affects the story of each game (save for the ones that are direct sequels like oot and mm). i just don’t find it important to enjoying the zelda universe, cause each game/group of games is it’s own stand alone story. its ok for things to just be for fun sometimes, like having link in mario kart. yeah it doesn't make sense in universe but that’s ok, it’s fun. it’s a video game

as for the storyline in aoc not making sense, yes there are some obvious plotholes (how was kohga alive both in aoc and botw, is he immortal?? i don’t know). but it’s a spin off game, the point of it was to just make the fans happy and give us fun content while we wait for the next actual installment, so i’m ok with that. and i’m ok with how cheesy it was, cause sometimes having cheesy storylines is just good for the soul. idk, in the end i just feel like sometimes its ok to have things that are just fun and enjoyable. and it’s fun to have an official “everyone lives” au. as long as botw 2 follows the actual timeline then i don’t mind~

for the most part i really adored the characterization of everyone (some complaints about revali’s characterization but that’s pretty much it), i was originally really worried about them messing it up.

zelda was the one i was worried about the most, i was VERY scared they would mess up her characterization, but they really went above and beyond my expectations with her. she was kind and strong and badass and just everything i could ever have hoped for. her story was heartbreaking but seeing her persevere and fight was just everything i wanted. i was however sad that we didn’t get to expand on her friendship with each of the champions, but it was still good.

link’s characterization was good, but we didn’t get a whole lot story for him, i really wanted to see more about his life, like his family life, and interactions with the champions. so could have done more, but it was good

i loved how urbosa was written in particular, i was so happy to see her go mom mode for both zelda and riju. all of her motherly moments were so heartwarming, and god she was such a fucking badass. i’m disappointed we didn’t get to learn more about her relationship with the queen of hyrule, but that’s alright in the end

mipha’s characterization was pretty much the same as it was in botw, she was very sweet yet strong and protective, i loved it

daruk’s characterization was super fun, i wish we got to see him and link interact more, but i ADORED that one scene they had together of daruk making link eat some rocks. what a king, i love their friendship so much

i’m disappointed with revali’s characterization in the game. i personally love revali, but he was written much better in botw. in botw they showed a softer side of him, showed his weakness to us. like yes he was an asshole, but in botw we see he uses that as a sort of defense mechanism to cope with his own self doubt and struggles. of the four champions he is the only one who is shown having to work to get his powers to work correctly, and he’s shown failing at it and being hard on himself. however in aoc they made it seem like he had everything down naturally and had no struggles. they also ignored his softer side that cares about the other champions even if he is too stubborn to admit it (getting worried about link when fighting windblight, speaking to zelda gently after her powers won’t awaken, etc). yet in aoc they just ignored all that and played up the whole “asshole” persona way too much. i was really hoping to see more of his soft side, especially after being saved from windblight. oh well, i still love him as a character despite how they messed up.

so yeah the common theme is i wish we got to see them interact and be friends more, but it was still good!

as for the story, i really loved it. i’m a sucker for cheesy stuff, so when the new champions showed up and saved the old champions i was an emotional mess, especially with mipha and sidon. i also LOVED how the story showed the king of hyrule how we was wrong about zelda, and showed how strong and capable zelda is despite how he treated her. seeing her lead the army to victory...bro that got me. and the egg turning out to be zelda’s creation? god that’s so cool, she really be out there making her own guardian as a small child, what a queen. and the part where the king sternly told link to get zelda to safety even if it meant he (the king) would die,..... ough... my heart

personally i found astor kinda boring and unmemorable (had to look up his name cause i didn’t even remember) but i don’t really mind cause i enjoyed the rest of the story so much

uhh this is getting very long and my brain is not working so i’ll stop here for now but yeah! i just wanted to write down my initial thoughts. i’m very satisfied with how the game turned out~

[unproduciblesmackdown]

You're so right about the Will Roland fanart problems. It seems like back when Will Roland was only known for Jared people were way more proWill because he could be their funny meme boi who ate bathbombs but now that he's a lead with all these emotional songs it's like God forbid he's not their "twink bby". Idk it annoys me so much especially when people draw the rest of the Broadway cast and still use WillC or do an animatic with WillRs voice and WillCs character ugh like. Accept the Roland pls

lmao we are all just out here grabbing the mic like “attention all bastards: Look, just because will roland isn’t your ideal fancast for most adorable twink of the year - “

really like, i have never come across any signs of there having been any pattern in the deh fandom of ~taking issue~ with will’s Abilities to sing or play the part of a struggling teen or whatever like what crops up re: him being the lead in bmc.....it also is unsurprising yet disappointing that like, jared and alana are so easily completely ignored, but when they Are acknowledged it’s super flattened interpretations like, either they’re both hypocritical jerks (just based on evan’s gfy accusations basically lol) or if they’re actually viewed in a positive way it’s just like, alana is your friendly local Model Student and jared is memes and neither of them are in the way! :3

you litrally cannot ignore jeremy the Whole Entire Main Character tho and also like. can’t ignore the fact that caring about jeremy as a Romantique Lead is ahhh important to many ppl in the fanbase? so him being regarded as ~less cute~ is more of an Issue b/c the character must be taken seriously and is the sympathetic hero and has a lot more solo material / more of Any material / more focus than jared does in deh.........you Have To Look At Him and care about his actual feelings and not just misinterpret the character as “has no serious emotions b/c he doesn’t say serious things in a serious tone” the way ppl misinterpret jared. there’s the assumption that someone who is good / sympathetic should also be attractive / cute / Personally Appealing To Look At and that wasn’t as much a conflict when ppl didn’t think it was important to sympathize / care about / pay attention to jared too much, and the “conflict” of caring abt jeremy’s capacity for a romantic relationship but that’s less important if he’s not as Cute also not being as much an issue when most people don’t care about jared’s romantic feelings or think that they exist despite jared being in love with evan But Anyways

like it is wild the things people will just make up to “justify” their Dislike for will, which has only manifested as apparent Issues thanks to him playing jeremy rather than jared........there’s the classic “mm idk i don’t think he can sing that well” approach which like. some people are just trying to say they do not like the inherent descriptive qualities of his voice, which is more nasal obviously and don’t anyone come in here with the “Actually the Technical definition of Nasal re Vocals is” b/c we know what i mean, alright? nasal voices are not considered ~serious~ and there’s the kneejerk dumb-annoying-loser-nerd association. god knows that jeremy heere canNot have characteristics that could be automatically judged as irritating and unappealing. then there’s the notion that He doesn’t have the (vocal) range!! which like. do you honestly think they would cast someone who doesn’t have the correct range. you’re aware that will roland was being considered for the part of jeremy in the two river run up to the last round of callbacks. you know that the song that was literally written expressly to suit will roland’s individual voice and singing abilities makes use of his falsetto which people go “omg he can’t hit those high notes” except sometimes when they misattribute his falsetto to other singers they suddenly find it worth complimenting. and then you get people who like, want to subscribe to this softened version of it and get all backhanded like “oh i think will’s vocals are improving whew that’s good” in any random video and always Only single him out apparently like. did you think he gets worse with experience? you don’t wanna talk about any of these other professional singers improving or worsening or anything? only wanna give ur assessment of william’s huh

honestly i for real haven’t seen the 1.0 version b/c i’m here via will roland in the first place & i’ve never gotten the impression that there’s some Essential Content i’m missing out on by having only seen 2.0........but between a) people complaining that will r’s jeremy is Too Frustrated He Shouldn’t Be That Angry It Makes Him Less Sympathetic and b) saying just as a point of comparison betwixt the depictions that will r’s jeremy is more frustrated and c) i haven’t read That much bmc fic but people sure talk about jeremy being like five seconds away from bursting into tears at any given moment which like, okay yeah aren’t we all, but also i presume this stems from will c’s apparently Sadder portrayal of jeremy. i almost forgot where i was going with this one but i think it’s just that yeah people truly take issue with will r’s jeremy being more frustrated and it’s like you realize there’s no Right or Wrong portrayal / interpretation even if you prefer one for whatever reasons......theatre just is Like that.......you have a slightly different portrayal during ever performance even from the same actors, and you’ll often have different actors playing the role........yeah people usually are attached to the first performance they see / have that as their Standard and that’s fine, it’s just like, you don’t have to decide that’s an Objective view and that you have Objective issues with everyone else’s take. 1.0 is still there for you

uhhhh oh yeah and the whole Clout idea lmao......people really putting themselves out there shaking their heads at the supposed fact that will was cast for the off bway run to Boost Popularity b/c he was part of the deh obc......besides the whole thing that it’s hardly likely that would’ve been considered necessary anyhow, there’s the little thing that a) again, will roland had already been very seriously considered for the part even before will connolly was decided on for the original run and b) like.....these people had been collaborating for eons and you really think will roland only popped into their minds thanks to being in deh....and c) joe iconis has repeatedly said they specifically did Not want to cast people based on who was Known enough and whose names would be good for marketing and d) maybe anyone has noticed that the marketing never involved any mention of anyone in the cast? no? cool. and yet people like so truly think they’re Wise to ~real reason~ that they’d go and cast will roland as the lead. like people are making shit up and really just thinking it’s true b/c they Want it to be true b/c they Want to be validated in having actual contempt for will’s casting despite the “issue” being that he doesn’t seem as Likeable (worthy of sympathy...cough...) thanks to his deemed-unattractive looks and sweetly-adenoidal voice and more-frustrated portrayal all seeming less cute or whatever

and i mean i haven’t seen it crop up of late but the one particular Grasping At Straws ~justification~ for will being unworthy of the part thanks to perceived acting/singing incompetence which is soooo wild is when people are like “ough i Hate when he just holds his arms out when he sings” like fmslkdj if anything that’s just an individual quirk and the fact that it was something you noticed means you just latched on to it as potential fodder for “the fact i registered this information abt someone whose existence i Resent means it distracted me which means i hate it and it’s bad”...like another thing he does with his hands while singing is when he makes the loose claws and kind of half crosses his arms in front of his chest! where are the complaints about that?? nowhere, b/c people have not really processed it as a particular thing, so they can’t deem it a Particular Thing To Criticize. people sometimes Notice that his jared talks with his hands a lot, which will says is an acting choice that came from an unconscious tendency, but people really only bring it up to juxtapose will’s jared’s dramatic tendencies and nervous habits with sky’s jared’s more outwardly still and smoothed-over behavior. aka they don’t Complain about it or deem it a weakness / bad thing. and yet people caring about bmc are really jumping on that chance to be like oh ugh there he goes again, having a characteristic i associate with him as an individual, disgusting, can’t believe will connolly was murdered for this..

it’s a bit clearer too with bmc moreso than deh that people aren’t super willing to accept how will roland Looks b/c like, thanks to will connolly’s jeremy having the long hair thing you can Tell The Difference In Which Actor Is Represented when ppl draw the character even if the rest of the features are kind of “generic” (and how even the costuming isn’t a dead giveaway since ppl will draw connolly jeremy in 2.0/3.0′s outfits) and it even serves to specify the actor in writing format too if they mention the hair lol........and honestly?? this fact is one of the most damning things lol in that people the reason so many ppl continue to produce connolly-based jeremys is Not because for whatever reason they can’t / it’s too difficult to draw a will roland lookin jeremy......like a lot of the time The trait which serves to distinguish between the two is the hair thing. people are adopting jeremy’s new costuming and stuff but choosing to make sure we know that jeremy does not Look like will roland and the clearest indicator of this is the longer hair thing......which also means that for many people the main effort they’d need to exert to make it clear they’re drawing wrol jeremy would just be to....shorten the hair. And Yet!!!! it is apparently beyond people to do this

like uh nice on making a lgw animatic but really.........really we’re gonna take the song that is specifically from the 2.0 / 3.0 runs, so it’s obvious we’re Accepting that non-1.0 content, okay......and we’re Accepting will roland’s vocals, which, a person’s voice is a physical trait of theirs too, same as The Existence Of Their Body........and yet jeremy Cannot Look Like How Will Roland Looks, that’s too far, can’t do that. we can take material from the specific versions the actor was cast in, that material being a song written specifically for this individual actor’s voice, in the form of this actor’s actual vocals......but can’t have the depicted image of jeremy be based on this actor’s appearance..............of all the......

really all that it is is that more people find will connolly more attractive than will roland and this makes them feel like will roland Is Worse and then the people who just run with that either just embrace that and are crashing around on public forums saying Lol i hate him cuz he’s ugly lmao....and then you have people who don’t wanna do that but don’t wanna actually examine why they ~take issue~ with will being cast and so they’ve gotta leap on any Other things about him that feel more acceptable / Objective like oh the portrayal is “Wrong” (that’s not how this works) or he can’t sing well enough (yeah he can) or high enough (yeah he can) or he was stunt cast (no he wasn’t) or they wanna label every characteristic / trait they can think up that Isn’t his physical appearance as Annoying And Bad like. maybe stop and ask why you find it SO pressing that this other actor has the part and it Must be objectively inferior if not ruinous for reasons you gotta invent about him being incompetent cuz it’s better to make stuff up about how a professional actor isn’t good enough for a part than to say you don’t think he’s cute enough and are bothered by that

it didn’t matter as much to people when they viewed his character as either Just A Joke or Just A Jerk or flat-out disposable material. being attractive is for serious sympathetic beloved characters, natch

unfortunately jeremy can’t be written off as The Unimportant Meme Friend With No Real Feelings so now there’s a whole problem if an actor is not as cute

like b/c of the way he looks ppl can accept that a character played by will roland can be funny or can be rude or can really not be too important to take seriously / consider complex or sympathetic or likeable beyond being a walking Running Joke, but when it comes to a sympathetic main character whose emotional state is so important it’s practically assigned a character and who’s a romantic lead? now people have a problem with him looking the way will roland does

[himboholhorse-moving]

💕 🕹 🌡 📷 📅 📏 🔑 📖 📝 🌐 🐷 🎥 📻 🎁!

Aaaah so many to answer !! Thank you !!

💕 Your two top fave fictional characters

So I’m gonna b... Old here for a second. #1 favorite of all time will always be Hawkeye from “M*A*S*H” and that’s a favorite that’s going all the way back since I was a Young Child. #2 position currently being held by all the “Stone Ocean” protags... Foo Fighters if you’re out there I’m available-

🕹 Video game you are currently playing

A three-way tie between Pokemon X, Tomodachi Life, and Nintendogs + Cats... Tomodachi Life is so chaotic and fun I just made Hol Horse and can’t wait to see what’s gonna happen.

🌡 Fave season

Winter !!! I’m a January snowstorm babie and I LOVE the cold... and yet I am attending a beach college...

📷 Post the 12th photo from your phone’s gallery

For context... #1 I have butterfingers n screenshot things accidentally when I try and turn down the volume on my phone bc I was listening to the something so this got screenshotted but #2... yesterday I introduced Beez to a very Mom phrase. I was talking about Pucci

📅Your birthday

January 15th !! I turn 21 on a Wednesday if my schedule gets planned out in the way I want it I’ll have a 10am class the next day so :^)

📏 How tall are you

I am a whole 5′2″. Meanwhile... relative of mine is 7′2″...... Tommy Burleson I’m coming for ur kneecaps sir

🔑 Key to your heart

OUGH this is gonna sound cheesy but I am very fond of love letters and love poems... and also just like. actually listening to me and paying attention as I talk. The Bar Is SO Low but even friends can’t meet it ! We love 2 see that...

📖 Fave book

For some reason I rlly liked “The Things They Carried” by Tim O’Brien... am also fond of “Hamlet” because I’m a Nerd and a Fool.

📝 Fave quote

Ok so there’s a poem I really love called “Invictus” and I’m getting the last two lines of it as a tattoo but I LOVE the whole final stanza which is: “It matters not how strait the gate, / How charged with punishments the scroll, / I am the master of my fate: / I am the captain of my soul.”

Like when I read that for the first time I went APESHIT... I love it SO much

🌐 Languages you can speak and/or are learning. Which are you fluent in

Well English is my first and primary language and the only one I’m wholly fluent in, but I can understand German fairly well! I can kinda read it alright and understand what someone is saying but Do Not ask me to converse in it. I Will Die. I have retained a bit of Spanish and French from middle and high school which means [Kel Mitchell voice] I know some of these words!!

But I’ve wanting to learn Russian for some time !! My dad knows Russian and I’ve only picked up the odd phrase and sentence from him but I’d like to learn more !!

🐷 Junk food you can never get enough of

Swedish Fish... I will go HAM for some Swedish Fish... Also cookie dough I’m a mess of a human but also a trash compactor... Lays potato chips tho, I will lay my life down for those bad boys 

🎥 Fave film

This changes all the time I HATE being a film major n film bitch... but I’ll always love “Miracle” because I’m a hockey WHORE.......... “The Thing” is also up there and so is “Berkeley Square” WHICH I WISH WAS ON DVD but I don’t think that’s ever gonna happen... This Is Why You Shouldn’t Like Old Movies 

📻 Fave song currently

I’m cheating here bc I have 2 but both are from “Revue Starlight” and I am currently going ham over that series djhskdfj but it’s “Hokori to Ogori” (”Pride and Arrogance”) and “Koi no Makyuu” (”Love’s Wicked Pitch”). It’s moreso the latter right now but both SLAP and are also on Spotify with all their songs

🎁 Best gift you ever received and why

Oooooh, I gotta think about that one... it’s rlly hard to pin stuff down nowadays because What Does True Happiness Feel Like Again and uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh it’s been awhile !! But I’d say the leather jacket I got for my 18th birthday because my family doesn’t really have a whole lot of money so them to shell out that much for me meant a lot. And also seeing “Singin’ in the Rain” that day !! I got to see it in theaters and it was super nice and fun :^)

Thank you for all the questions !!! I really appreciate it !!! 💜💜💜💜💜

[missmarrypotter]

Tommy ain’t always right, You know!?

Finn Shelby x OC (Olive)❤️

I'm just so in love with this boy, Finn is an angel!!

WARNING: making out!? but more fluff i think

English it not my first language so please excuse my mistakes.🤗

She grabbed her Jacked and rushed out of the office. The look she shot Thomas Shelby before stepping outside was full of disappointment and blankness. She didn’t wait for any respond.  “You need to be a man … bullshit he does ..” she mumbled to herself, running through the hidden, dark and smoke filled alleys of Birmingham. It was much colder than she thought, the fresh air of the night burning in her lungs from running.

“Finn!!!”, She almost shouted at her Childhood Friend who was about to disappear behind yet another corner.

“Finn fuckin Shelby!! Wait.”

He stopped right there, turning around. He Looked tired. But when he recognized her he put on a smile, waiting for her to reach him.

“Olive, what’s with ya!?”, he was quiet amused seeing her breathless like that. “Why did ya run!?”

“Cause those legs ya got there are like twice as long as mine ..” she explained gasping, pulling him into a hug.

He hugged her back, stroking her dark brown hair carefully.

“Did anythin happen? Ya alright?!” He asked, tensed and sounding slightly worried. He relaxed when she shook her head, sighting in relief. She interrupted the hug and took a step back.

“ I was in the room as well when ...ya know.. that talk with Tommy and stuff   ” she told him, looking right into his blueish green eyes, waiting for his reaction.

He looked down at his feet, his jaw clenched. He looked kind of ashamed and guilty at the same time.

Silence. Just for Seconds but it felt like hours. Finn fumbled around with his hands while Olive nibbled on her chin long hair.

“I liked what ya said back there” She cleared the silence, scratching the back of her head.

He looked at her with lots of confusion in his eyes.

“ Wha .. are ya shitting me!?” He asked, not really believing what he just heard.

He thought Olive would react completely different. He thought she would scold him for losing his virginity to some whore Lizzie, Aunt Polly and Linda rented for him. She grew up in a brothel herself since she was 6 years old. Madam Adley found her that age and adopted her into her family. Schooled her. Fed her. Sarah Adley had no children on her own so her Ladies were her family. Her daughters. She treated them all very well. Her business was for the high society only. For rich Men and Women to forget and enjoy themselves. Olive herself had worked there for a year when she turned 16.

To secure her loved ones safety Madam collaborated with the Peaky Blinders. They kept violent lovers away and made sure everybody paid and in return the girls gave some informations about their clients or their Bodys to the Blinders.

Through that Finn and Olive met at the very young age of 7. They soon bonded and the Shelbys became the girls second family. She proved herself trustworthy very quick and her big green eyes, her open, loving nature as a child and later her charming smile and her feminine curves were often very helpful to interact with new allies or enemies. She had a very sharp mouth if she had to and never lost her words. But she could also be as quiet and nondescript as a mouse so no one would notice her like today in the office. They even allowed her to stay through family meetings since no private conversation she witnessed had ever met a third ones ear. They loved her and she loved them. Apparently some more and in a different way than others. Tommy decided to employ her as a gift for her 17th birthday. She was good with customers and numbers and that way they were able to look after her. Win Win Situation for everyone. Finn secretly was very happy about that. So his Olive didn't had to do these humiliating things anymore. He never thought he would ever in his life have sex against payment himself because the thought of someone buying his girls body made him sick so many times. Buying a person like some object just sounded so wrong to him even if it seemed to be normal for his brothers. He always imagined his first time a completely different way. With someone he loved. Someone who wanted him. To be honest he always thought it would be with her. But he was too shy to make a move. He always thought he wasn’t good enough for her. Not manly enough. Not experienced enough.

If only he knew she wished the same thing.

But since she had to help her Mother out back then to safe her Business, she felt dirty. She was happy to help, she always was. On the other hand she didn't feel good enough for the boy she took a liking in anymore. So she never made a move as well. But now she had to say something. She had to tell him how much of a man he was to her. Has always been.

Out of the sudden she smiled. She just happily smiled at him, giving him chills.

“I don't want it like that ever again, tom.

Not when they don't even want to do it , expect for the money.” She repeated his words from earlier, taking his hands.

“It made me so fucking happy when you said that.” She whispered squeezing his hands, taking a step forward.

A perplexed Finn gently placed his chin on the top of her head.

“ But Tommy was right when he said that everyone gets tired. That everything these days is for money. That i need to be a man” he muttered into her hair, placing a little kiss there without even realizing it.

“But you are a man, Finn”

She loved the shelby boys a lot. But She honestly never would have wanted to trade with any of their woman. She wanted someone she could rely on. Someone she didn't have to fear about not coming home because he picked unnecessary fights that started people and himself getting killed . Someone who didn't yell all the time. Someone who wouldn't keep secrets from her. Someone who would never look at another woman the way he looked at her. Someone who would never cheat. Someone like Finn.

She got up on her tiptoes, nuzzling her face into the crook of his neck, hugging him as tight as she could. He placed his hands on her back, pressing her body against his.

“Tommy was right that there is an empty space to be filled now that John is dead. And yes everybody gets tired someday.But that does not mean you have to become like them. There is nothing wrong with not fighting everything, anytime, at any cost. There is nothing wrong with wanting love instead of a quick fuck. Because so do i .. ”

Her last words were almost too quiet to hear them, but he did. She gently kissed his cheek  before she let him out of her squeeze, taking his hands once again. He Was speechless. Did he hear it right!? Did she mean that she wanted him or just true love in general!?

His breathing was too slow to see any movement on his chest but his heart did the exact opposite. It was about to explode.

“And even though it might sound crazy …. Tommy ain’t always right, You know!?. Not everything is for money. True love ain’t . He should know that better than anyone.. god that sounds like such a cliche” she laughed, letting go of his hands. But as soon as she did so his right hand was right back around her wrist, pulling her closer while he placed his other one on her cheek, caressing it gently with his thumb.

“Good. Cause i don't have any fuckin money .. but i luv ya so much”, he whispered into her ear. His voice was raspy and slightly shaking from nervousness and the freezing aerial. Both of their hearts stopped right there, both holding their breaths.

He laid his forehead against hers, brushing her nose with his, their lips almost touching.

As he managed to respire again his hot breath brushed over her ice cold lips. Now there were Goosebumps all over her body. She wanted to say something. She wanted to say those words back but her vocal cords wouldn’t allow it. Instead her hands just grabbed his soft cheeks, closing the small gap between their lips. Out of the sudden her whole body seemed to warm up. By the touch of his soft lips. By his hand clawing into the hair of the back of her head in response while his other hand found its way to her hip, holding into her tight. Their Lips seemed to perfectly match up. Their movements slow but impassioned. Finn Tasted like whisky and cigarettes while Olive tasted more like plums and black tea. It was a perfect combination. Soon things heated up. Finn had her pinned against the wall of some house, his hands on her bum to hold her up. Her thighs were wrapped around his waist, the right hand gently tugging his hair while her left one softly scratched his neck. The desire they both kept a secret for a quiet long time finally turned into something real.

Finns tongue slid over her bottom lip, before allowing them a break to take a breath. Both were heavily panting when they heard a suggestive whistle.

It was Isaiah. Standing there with his hands in his pockets, grinning from one ear to the other.

“Well if the two of ya are done swallowing each other we could head to the Garrisons like we planned, aye!?” he teasingly said.

“Ough i totally forgot…” finn said, setting Olive down. Both of them fixed their hair and cloth as much as possible before walking over to their friend. Isaiah laid his arms around his mates still grinning widely.

“Finally guys, finally!” He laughed.

Finn and Olive shot each other a approving look.

“Well we know ya going to tell everyone about this Issy, so please make sure to tell Pol, Linda and Liz as well so they don't feel the need to rent my boyfriend a whore ever again, yep!?”

“I totally will sweetheart, everything for my love birds” he assured.

At the Garrisons everyone congratulated them like they've just announced their wedding or something. They were really sweet and supportive. Tommy, Arthur and Polly each gave them a speech about the birds and the bees and how they would support them if Finn would get her pregnant anytime soon but that they'd prefer if there was no need to. It was really weird but fun at the same time. When the Garrisons cleared up Tommy offered to drive the two young ones home. They gratefully refused. A walk home, just the two of them would be perfect now. They said goodbye to everyone, leaving hand in hand. Finn walked her home to Madam Adley's house, never letting go of her hand. As they arrived he walked her to the door. He leaned against the frame of the big wooden door, letting go of her hand. She turned to face him. She had the happiest expression he had ever seen on her.

“I love you too , Finn.”

He softly smiled, pecking her nose.

“I know. But you saying it …. Feels damn awesome, Luv” he chuckled. She jokingly rolled her eyes at him, fumbling around with his jacked.

“I'd love to have company while sleeping tonight, Finn” she mumbled, slightly smirking.

He slightly blushed, brushing some hair behind her right ear.

“ Sure can do, Babygirl” he just smirked and kissed his girl lovingly. Then he picking her up, carrying her inside.

Things went a little different than actually planned. Madam and some of the girls were still awake and insisted that instead of doing god knows what they should join them for some drinks. They did. So everything that happened tonight was one of Olives sisters vomiting, Sarah Adley offering Finn to come by anytime as long as he treated her daughter well and 6 bottles of wine being destroyed. After that both of them just fell into bed, immediately falling asleep in each others arms. In the morning both of them just stayed in there, trying to sleep their massive hangover away. Honestly it was kind of a good start in their relationship. Things would happen sooner or later so why rush in. The important thing was that their relationship was  clarified and official now and everyone supported them. The future would settle the rest.

[micerhat]

Talk about Barbara? Talk about Barbara.

((I love her, I love her because in a way she reminds me of my mom. Who, yes, tried her best - but found herself focusing more on her career vs her child because her child’s father decided ‘I’m out!’ for whatever reason that might be.

…though I also suspect it was career because the whole medical field, no less the educational journey one has to take to work in the medical field, ough, some parents can only do that ‘sacrifice for the greater good’ for so long before that little horrible selfish voice sounds in dad’s ear that It Isn’t Fair - That stupid blow to the ego that he isn’t the breadwinner - That he is the only one doing this parenting thing and it isn’t fair!))

Instead of trying to find a way to walk together, he simply walks away.

Maybe there was a warning Barbara missed.  Maybe it was one night shift too many.  Maybe it was one dinner together as a family too few.  Maybe there wasn’t anything at all. 

Whatever it is, it remains another part of the unknown.

She cried because for the first time in a very long time - she was stepping into that scary place of the unknown.  That dark bottomless hole you only glimpse upon before tearing your eyes away because the idea of losing someone who has been with you for so long, through thick and thin is suddenly terrifying. 

And now she finds herself falling down that hole.

She cried frequently in the beginning, but she stopped crying in front of Jim the first time he tried to comfort her. Tried to tell her that it would be alright. That he went back to his room and brought back every single stuffed animal he held dear and tried to help because mom is sad and dad is gone and he knew that you help someone in need.

So it’s better to be strong.  For her to smile and be strong for them and continue on.  To ignore those sorry looks from her coworkers, those awkward attempts at cheering her up from her family. 

Barbara Lake decides to be strong and begins the hard task to climb back out.

And Barbara worked.  Because someone had to keep a roof over their head and food on the table and clothes, because trying to get child support is like drawing blood from a stone from someone who just ups and walks away.

She’s good at her job, she provides, but she sacrifices - not by pinching pennies, she sacrifices talks with her child for shifts, praising school papers to working through paperwork.  She tries to replace tired guilt with effort and hopes Jim knows that she’s trying.

And after a while she is struck with that shock that their child is no longer a child.  She envies the people who are in Jim’s life and treasures the time she can spend with him, but there is always more work, more shifts, more calls and more emergencies that aren’t just a figurative matter of life and death.

Children sometimes grow the fastest when you’re not watching.

Because now that child is caring for her again, offering that understanding smile, but they’re not a child anymore - because soon it will be relationships, and summer jobs and college and… an empty house… and the unknown looming up once more with a warm welcome.  But instead Jim becomes quiet, distant, as though they are chewing on the biggest dilemma of their life and for once where there was an open door - it’s closed off.  

He gets hurt - and he won’t tell her what happened. 

He won’t even look her in the eye. 

Did she cause this rift?  Was this happening again?  They fought, but never like this.  Jim doesn’t have to say the words ‘This Is Because You’re Never Here’, because guilt is already gleefully hissing it into her ear.

So when someone else reaches out, it’s like a hand out of the darkness reaching to a person floundering to set their feet upon solid ground. 

What Walter offers pulls her up, it warms her just a little.  But that little warmth she cautiously allows herself can easily become sustainable with care.

And it almost rings of older times, familiar times that she can say to herself for just a moment that maybe things aren’t as bad as they seem.  She’s warm and smiling and laughing and maybe just a little bit in love.  And things are alright, they’re alright because someone understands.  Things might not be perfect with her and her son, but a way would be found to be good enough.

That there is hope, that things will be alright.

Only, they don’t stay alright for long.

Somewhere along the way things go horribly, horribly sideways.  Her fears come true.  Jim is in harms way.  She wasn’t there for him and look what has happened.

And the trust, and maybe even a touch of love, she freely gave is turned on her and all she can think is, I didn’t know him, did I?

Perhaps he didn’t really know me either.

And that hurts more than any of the pain shared in this magical binding that she is struggling to grasp in the absolute whirlwind that has taken them to this place - that it wasn’t love. 

Because if she loved him, that deep drop into the dark would be waiting, even if she would be the one walking away this time. 

It tastes of ash where once there was long missed sweetness. 

But the chance to forget? It’s like an open door to escape a building on fire and about to crumble. 

She can still hold to the hope that this time, this time when she wakes up, that things will be better, that the closed door will be open once again.

In time.

(Though the optimistic hopeless romantic part of me howls - If fate mercifully blesses you with a mulligan and you try again, Walt, don’t completely balls it up)